Fastener for automobile hoods and the like



act. 30

Filed Dec. 13

DAVID BOURQUE, OF AMTESBURY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 G. W. J. MURPHYCOMPANY, OF AMESBURY, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATIO}? 0F SACHUSETTS.

FASTENERFOR AUTOMOBILE HOODS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed December 13, 1919. Serial in. 344,541;

/ To all whom it concern:

Be'it known that I, DAVID BOURQUE, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Amesbury, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, haveinvented an Improve ment in Fasteners for Automobile Hoods and the like,of which the following descriptlon, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification, like characters 0n the drawingsrepresenting like parts.

This invention relates to fastening devices for securing in position thehinged leaves or flaps which form a part of the hoods or bonnets ofmotor cars.

My invention will best be understood by reference to'the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings showing ahood fastener for automobiles embodying-my invention and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the hood or.

bonnet of a motor car; v

Fig. 2 is a view on an enlarged scale from the same point ofobservation, showing the fastening device in end elevation;

Fig. 3 is a side. elevation thereof; and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the parts in a differentposition.

In the drawings I have shown in Fig. 1 the usual hoodof a motor vehicleembodying on either side hinged leaves or flaps 5 and 7 extendingbetween the cowl 9 and the radiator 11, adapted to be folded down to theposition shown and closing inwardly against suitable supports 13 on theframe as shown at the broken away portion of Fig. 1.

My invention provides suitable latching means for holding the leaf 7pressed inwardly against the supports 13. Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, Iherein provide the flap 7 with a suitable engaging surface to cooperatewith the latching member and this may take the form of a socket 15adapted to be riveted to the fiap 7 and provided with a recess toreceive a plug 17 of suitable noise-deadening material which ispreferably presented diagonally, as shown, so that pressure axial of theplug will press the leaf 7 inwardly against the supports 13 and alsodownwardly.

In the form of the invention chosen for purposes of illustration theframe provides along either side a ledge 19 paralleling the edge of theclosed leaf and this ledge may be utilized for. supporting the latchingmembers, which members I shall next describe. The latching memberscomprise a pivoted latch proper supported in any suitable way but hereinwhere the ledge 19 is provided a suitable plate 21 may be attached tothis ledge, the plate having a pair of ears 23 receiving the pivot pin25 and with which cooperate cars 27 .on the latch member proper. Thislatch member is herein shown as having a hollow body portion 29, thesides of which are extended to form the ears 27, a projecting bill 31sloping inwardly and downwardly and a handle portion 33 herein in thenature of a terminal hook. The latch memberis adapted to fold directlyin against the abutment surface provided on the member 15, the bill 31engaging the plug 17 and preferably, as shown,"with a mere face to faceengagement without interlocking therewith. The latch in its inward postion presses axially on the diagonally presented engaging surface of thehood and consequently presses the leaf 7 both inwardly against thesupports 13 and downwardly and is thus adapted to hold the hood securelyand without opportunity for any lost motion.

To hold the latch member in its engaging "position a spring may beprovided and I have herein shown a spiral spring 35 partially housed inthe hollow body of the latch and secured thereto and to a relativelyfixed point, herein a book 37 located on the base plate 21 between theears 23. The connecting points of the spring are so arranged withrespect to the pivot 25 that the spring swings past this pivot asillustrated by Figs. 3 and 4 and is thus adapted to hold the latch oneither side of dead center, either in the position shown in Fig. 3 inwhich the force of the spring is exerted to press the bill 31 againstplug-17 or in the position shown 1n Fig. 4 in which it is exerted tohold the under the vibration of the car. 'lhe device is easily operatedto throw the latch from one side of dead center to the other evenalthough the spring is very strong and there is no necessity ofcompressing a spring unduly in order to engage the fastening as in thecase of many hooked devices wherein the spring has to be strained beyondactual working tension in order to engage the parts. When the device isopened it is securely held and locked open while the leaves or flaps ofthe hood are being lifted and there are'no loose parts to shake orstrike against adjacent objects.

Having thus described one specific embodiment of my invention, theprinciples exemplified thereby which I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent I shall express in the following claims:

1. In a motor vehicle a hood having a depending flap provided with aninterior support, upwardly presented diagonal abutments adjacent thelower edge of the flap and means for pressing the flap downwardly andinwardly on its support comprising pivoted latches mounted exterior] ofthe hood and having bill portions a apted to close downwardly on saidabutments and springs tending to swing the latches about navaeee theirivots for holding said latches with the bills in engagement with theabutments.

2. In a motor vehicle a hood having a depending flap provided with aninterior support, upwardly presented diagonal abutments adjacent thelower edge of the flap and means for pressing the flap downwardly andinwardly on its support comprising pivoted latches mounted exteriorly ofthe hood and having bill portions adapted to close downwardly on saidabutments and springs for holding said latches on either side'of deadcenter and in one such position with the bills in engagement with theabutments.

3. In a motor vehicle having a depending hood flap provided with aninterior support, latches pivoted to the vehicle frame adjacent thelower edge of the flap and exteriorly thereof and springs for holdingsaid latches on either side of dead center, said latches having bills toengage the flap and upwardly extending terminal portions providing anunobstructed handle to be encircled by the fingers whereby the latchesmaiy be rocked past dead center.

n testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

' DAVID .BOURQUE.

